Improvement in window-blinds



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JAMES I. BOYD, OF LA PORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND AARON H. MILLER, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters PatentNo. 168,557, dated October 25, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN WINDOW-BLINDS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

I, JAMES I. Born, of La Porte, in the county of La Porte and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in VVindow-Blinds, of which the-following is a specification.I

The rst part ot' my invention relates to a novel method of hinging or pivoting the slats of a windowblind to the frame.

Slats of' Window-blinds are commonly hung to the frame by a tenon or trunnion at the center of cach end ofthe slat,'projeeting into holes the frame 5 the slats are connected by a feathering-rod, and are all opened and closed at one movement.

Ihis featheringrod7 being attached to the edge of the slats, moves out as the slats are opened, and lprojects from the face of the blind, and in folding or opening the blind yis often in the way.

The nature of the first part of my invention consists in hinging or pivoting the slats at the edge of the ends instead ofthe middle of the ends, and in attaching the feathering-rod to that edge of the sla-t from which said said slat is hinged oi' pivoted. Said feathering-rod is connected to the slats so as to lift them open by a nearly perpendicular motion of the rod,

which rod does not project but very little when the slats are open, there being so little projection that.

blinds made in this manner may be put upon windows not intended to carry blinds, and, consequently,

made shallow, all of which will be more fully herea-f-' ter described.

It further consists in hinging the slat to the frame at the edge I by means ot' two interlccked staples, driving the one int-o the slat and the other into the frame, the inner edges of said frame being countersunk with a rabbet-ledge to receive theslats, the object being to provide a hingevwhich will not become clogged up with dirt, or 4lled with paint in painting the blinds, so as to become immovable.

The ordinary tenon or trunnion-pivot is very apt to become lixed and immovable from the above causes, or from shrinking of the wood.

The slats bei-ng hinged to the ledge, all light is excluded when the blind is closed.

In the ordinary blind it is impossible to make the ends of the slats so close but that the light will penetrate at the joining.

The ordinary blind has its slats hinged at the frame without a ledge or rebate to cover `the ends of the slats. v

The second part of my invention relates to a method of xing the slats at any required position, open or closed, by means of au attachment to the feath cring-rod, more -fully hereafter described.

The slats in ordinary blinds are liable to become loose upon their pivots through many causes, so that the slats are often moved by the mere weight of the feathering-rod, or are blown open and shut by the wind.

Description of the Aceomluming Drawing.

Figure l is an inside or front view of my invention, sla-ts closed.

Figure 2 is an outside or rear view of the saine, slats open.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of fig. 1 on line :c x.

Figure 4 is a tranverse section of fig. 2 on line yy.

Figure 5 is a detached view of slat with trunnions or tenons at the edge of cach end.

General Description.

A is the frame of the blind, constructed as in ordinary blinds, except that it is provided upon the out side face, at the inner edge, with a` rabbet or ledge,'a, lower than the general surface of the frame'.

B are the slats hinged to the ledge a, by the interlocked staples l1, fig. 4, ot' which one is driven into the edge of the slat, and the other into the ledge d.

Said slats when closed come within the surface of the frame.

C G' is`the featheriug-rod attached to the slats by the curved staples c, said rod heilig constructed in two parts or strips.

The staples c surround the strip G', and are supported in certain notches cnt therein.

The strip C is then fastened to C', and serves to i hold the staples in the notches.

D D are recesses cut in the top and bottoni pieces of the frame to receive the feathering-rod. The lower recess D is furnished with a spring, d, which presses' against the feathering-rod and holds it at any required elevation.

When the slats are open, the spring being pressed upon will allow them to 4close by their own weight.

The pressure of this spring is at no time so great as to cause a diiiieulty in moving the feathering-rod easily up or down, it being the aim to have at all times about the same amount of resistance as exists in an ordinary blind when properly constructed, and not worn loose, clogged up, shrunk, or out of order.

I do not limit myselfl to thc use of this spring.

It is obvious many similar contrivances may he applied to a feathering-rod which has a motion so nearly perpendicular as it does in my invention, to acconn plish the same result.

lhespring may be furnished with teeth to catch into notches in the feathering rod, which thus makes a lock for the slats so that they cannot be opened from the outside; or a rack may be attached to the side of said rod, communicating with acog-wlleel, the

shaft of which may project vthrough the sash of the window into the roomfso that the slats may beY opened without raising the window.

The feathering-rod may be applied in this manner to slats pivoted on trnnnions or tenons placed at the edge of the ends, asis shown at lig. 5, it' it is desired to use that method of swinging or hinging the slats.

In iig.' 5, E represents the trunniolrs or tenons made to t into holes bored into the inner edge of the frame A in front of the rebate. i

I t Will be Obvious that the featheriiig-rodl may be placed upon the out-side of the slats, and the blind will exclude Athe light as well,.and operate for vsome purposes bet-ter than the other arrangement.

I claimasA my inventionl. The slats of the window-blind, hung by hinges at the edge to a. rebate in the blind-frame, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The featliering-rod G C', connected tothe slats B by the curved staples e, and working in the recesses D 1)', when combined and operating with the spring d, or its equivalent, substantially as and for the purpose speeitied and shown. i

3. The combination of the slats B, feathering-rod C O', with the frame A and spring d, or its equi'va lent, substantially is/and for the purpose specified.

, JAM JS P. BOYD. Witnesses:

J. W. MUNDAY, l L. L. COBURN. 

